2017 Leaders Awards

To be a business leader is no small task. The responsibility, dedication and vision demanded by the job is something few people can bear. To be an exceptional business leader – one that can steer a business and its people through both the good and bad times and still emerge a success – is an achievement worthy of praise. In its 10th year, the Leaders Awards are a celebration and recognition of Calgary’s great business leaders.

And many great leaders there are. As in past years, the nominations for this year’s awards included an impressive number of individuals from a variety of sectors including media and entertainment, real estate, health care, consumer products, pharmaceutical and insurance. The task of sorting through the nominees and determining the 20 award recipients fell this year to Trevor Winkler, regional managing partner at MNP LLP; David Allwright, dean of the Chiu School of Business at Bow Valley College; and Myron Feser, vice president, sales, at ATB Business & Agriculture.

“Despite the current economic times, we still need to take time to acknowledge and recognize people and businesses in our community that are doing great things,” says Winkler. “These awards are a prime example of doing so – there are still a lot of great things happening in this city.”

Indeed Calgary’s economic climate has been a challenge for all of the recipients, many of whom are seasoned survivors of down cycles. “It’s important that business leaders in Calgary get the recognition that they deserve, particularly the ones that are able to weather the current economic conditions,” says Allwright. “A lot of these people have been through this before – they’re examples of how you survive the boom-and-bust economy.”

Regardless of which industry they’re in, each of the recipients displayed one thing in common: “What truly stood out was each leader’s unwavering resilience in the face of challenging times,” says Feser. “Each of their stories was inspiring and it showed just how important strong leadership is to make it through a variety of trying situations.”

Another standout quality: what the recipients do for their community. “I was really impressed with the commitment that each nominee has made to make Calgary an even better place, through community involvement and philanthropic activities,” says Feser. “It’s evident that these leaders aren’t just passionate about their business, they’re passionate about Calgary and all of its diverse communities.”

Winkler also highlights the impact the recipients have on their own business teams, particularly future leaders. “Their mentorship and leadership will no doubt lead to more and more successful leaders for generations to come.”

In his fourth year as a judge, Allwright continues to be impressed by all the nominees. “Every year the judging gets tougher because the range of applicants gets better. It’s a very rewarding experience to be able to do something like this – because you do hear a lot of doom and gloom. It’s nice to learn about businesses that are not only doing well but are thriving and have been through this more than once.”